Self-described soul/country singer will open for the B-52s at Derby Eve party

Angie Johnson

Sony Music Nashville recording artist and songwriter Angie Johnson will bring her powerful voice and country sounds to Louisville's Derby Eve Party with a Purpose, The Julep Ball, Friday, May 3, at the KFC Yum! Center.

The evening kicks off with a 6:30 p.m. cocktail reception, followed by dinner and a live auction at 8 p.m. Johnson will then open the evening's entertainment at 9 p.m., followed by the World's Greatest Party Band, the B-52s. Dancing to deejay music follows.

A Missouri native who performed at the Kentucky Derby in 2012, Johnson has ties to Kentucky, describing herself as "‘Kentuckanese' – my father's from Kentucky and met my mother while stationed in Okinawa, Japan," she said. She's no stranger to active military service herself, having served as an intelligence analyst and Air Force Band vocalist with the U.S. Air Force in Afghanistan. She continues that service today, serving one weekend each month with the Air National Guard.

A YouTube video of Johnson singing Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" during a performance for active-duty troops launched her civilian singing career. Now viewed more than 3 million times, the video was seen by the host of NBC-TV's "The Voice," Carson Daly. He Tweeted Johnson, encouraging her to audition for "The Voice" while she was still stationed in the Middle East.

"When I first read Carson Daly's Tweet inviting me to audition for ‘The Voice,' I instantly felt like there was some huge shift in the cosmos," she said. "There I was, sitting in a tent in Afghanistan, and I was communicating with Carson Daly on the other side of the planet…THE Carson Daly. I couldn't wrap my head around it for days."

Johnson was chosen by then-judge CeeLo Green for his team on "The Voice," and his guidance has proven invaluable, she said. "The most important thing I learned from CeeLo is to know who you are and be confident in that. Another great thing I learned from him is to always keep educating yourself about music. (And) he taught me that you really have to love what you do. The moment you stop loving it, or stop being passionate about it, is the moment your creativity starts to die. I never want to be like that."

Since her stint on "The Voice," Johnson has toured throughout the country and signed with Sony Music Nashville. "I'm working on a recording project. I want to write, write, write until my fingers fall off. I'm performing all over the country, (and) I plan on continuing my service in the Air National Guard as long as I can."

Most tickets for The Julep Ball's full evening of entertainment are now sold out, but some are still available as are plenty of dance-only tickets. The full evening's entertainment is $500 per person while dance-only tickets are $150 per person. For further information and to buy tickets, go to The Julep Ball website, julepball.org.

At The Julep Ball, party-goers can mingle with local and national business leaders, horse industry professionals and celebrities from sports, music, cinema and television while enjoying the entertainment provided by Johnson and the B-52s. A celebrity emcee for the evening will be CBS Sports Radio broadcaster and former NFL great Tiki Barber. The crowd can watch celebrities make their entrance on the red carpet and dance until the wee hours of Saturday morning. Special moments of The Julep Ball again will come when Brown Cancer Center scientists, physicians and patients are honored and saluted for their efforts.